Maggie did think about returning to the musical crew. And she decided she would. After all, it took more than one person to work light and sound.

Several weeks passed. School went from regular classes to exam preparation, and the weight of the incoming finals was hanging hard on Maggie's shoulders. It would've added more to her back problems if it wasn't metaphorical.

Fortunately she still had a few weeks left before school finished, so she had a fair amount of time to work.

She also noticed that she was feeling a bit… off. Nothing bad, but still weird. And distracting, which was the last thing she needed.

As she walked home with Luan and Becca one Thursday afternoon, she started to pin down when it started.

It started when Luan complimented her hair.

Maggie had always preferred having long hair, but when Luan had said that short was a good look for her, she decided she might keep it despite herself.

She also found herself trying to spend a bit more time with Luan, outside of what she had to with the musical. Whenever Luan was at the school at lunch, Maggie was hanging out with her. It had become a regular thing for the two of them, and Becca, to walk home together until they had to part ways. Maggie kinda wished she didn't have to.

Then, it hit her. Maybe, just maybe, she-

"You like her, don't you?"

Maggie blinked, snapped out of her introspective daze by Becca. "W-what?"

Becca smiled a telling smile. "You're not very subtle."

Shit. If Becca knew how she felt, then Luan almost certainly knows. The woman was a master of body language and gauging reactions. "I, uh…"

"Hey, I can't blame ya. She's a great girl, lots of fun to be around." She leant in close. "Plus, she has great legs and a nice ass-"

Maggie turned bright red. "Holy shit, Becca, shut up."

Becca giggled. "Just teasing you." She sighed. "You should totally ask her out though."

"No way, she's not my type." Maggie lied. "I… I dunno if she'd even like me back anyway, even if I did like her."

Becca shrugged. "Only one way to find out, y'know."

"Can we change the subject, please?" She snapped back. The more she lingered on the thought, the more uncomfortable she felt.

Fortunately, the rest of the walk was pleasant, if not a bit awkward, and as Becca split off to make her way to her own home she decided that she might as well get home as soon as possible, to avoid the heat of the sun.

The rest of the evening passed without incident. Once in bed, Maggie laid on her side, trying to get to sleep. Obviously she couldn't, that goddamn woman kept invading her thoughts.

Okay, so, Maggie obviously had a crush. She also knew that Luan probably knew she had a crush on her.

But she couldn't just… ask her out. That'd be weird, and possibly quite a bad idea. Besides, as far as she knew, Luan could already have a boyfriend or girlfriend - after all, the last time she could remember seeing her at school, she was holding hands with… whatever his name was. She never really learnt anyone's name.

Maybe… Maybe she should just watch how Luan acted around her. She was not the best at reading people, but maybe Luan would act obvious enough that even she could see. She hoped she'd be that obvious.

After what felt like about ten hours of solid thinking, she eventually zoned out, and the next thing she heard was her alarm going off.

"Jeez, you look exhausted."

Maggie looked up from her lunch. "Huh?" She felt a tiny sliver of her sleep deprivation fade away, as she caught Luan studying her face. God her eyes were pretty.

"We should probably call airport security, someone's left their bags here." She giggled. "Get it?"

She couldn't help but crack a slight smile.

"But seriously, you look like you didn't sleep very well last night."

"Yeah, I… I didn't get a good rest."

"Is everything okay?"

"What? Yeah, I'm fine. Just one of those nights."

She remembered her whole 'trying to read Luan's body language to gauge if she even liked her' thing. But she was honestly a bit too tired to do that. Besides, what if what she 'read' as mutual attraction was just close friendship?

Damn she needed a nap.

"Hey," Luan reached into her shoulder bag, and pulled out a thermos. "Do you drink coffee?"

Maggie raised an eyebrow. "Nnno, I haven't tried it before."

"Do you wanna try some?" She held the thermos out to show her. "Don't worry too much, I don't drink the strong stuff. And it should help wake you up too."

"I know how coffee's supposed to work, Luan." She replied, gesturing that she wanted to try it. Luan picked up a nearby glass and poured some into it, then handed it to her. Maggie studied the liquid, before taking a wary sip. The drink was a little bitter, but not overbearingly so.

"Hm. Not bad."

Luan smiled. "Glad you're liking it so far."

Maggie took a larger sip. "So when does the caffeine hit?"

"About half an hour, I think. Lisa could tell you the specifics but that's how long it takes for me." She started pouring her own drink.

"Well, it should kick in just in time for class."

It did.

And she hated it.

Sure, she was awake and alert, but she might have been… too alert. She was all twitchy, her anxiety shooting through the roof. Compounded with exam prep stress and her crush on Luan, she was a veritable wreck.

But at least it was starting to lessen when she began working on the lights after classes.

Well, except for the Luan bit.

"Hey Mags." Luan waved as she sat her bag in the corner. "How ya feeling?"

"Awake but stressed."

Luan winced. "Yeesh. Still, you're doing one better than Benny."

"Benny?" Oh Christ was that the name of her-

"My ex." Luan replied.

Maggie, instinctively, let out a sigh, but then immediately realised what that could mean. She dared not to look at Luan after that.

She though she heard Luan inhale as if to speak, but then she sighed herself, sitting down on her chair instead. "Better get to work, huh?"

"Y-yeah." Thank goodness Becca wasn't there.

Despite working in concert, the two of them were a lot more quiet than normal. Outside of her commands and suggestions, and the occasional quips, Luan was not talking much.

As if this didn't make her anxiety worse.

The next day went on as usual. The caffeine crash seemed to help Maggie get some decent sleep for once, and she and Luan were speaking as normal… well, mostly.

However, as she sat down to eat lunch, she noticed Luan was absent.

She sat down next to Becca. "Hey, have you seen Luan?"

"She said she had to do some studying at home, I think." Becca shrugged. "I mean, she is a student." She smirked. "Why, you were planning on asking her out?"

"N-no." Maggie frowned. "I just… wanted to know where she is."

"Well, she's not hurt or off seeing a guy or something, if that's what you were worried about." She bit into her food. "But seriously, Maggie, you know you don't have to try and keep your crush on Luan a secret to me-"

"Shh…!" Maggie hissed, studying the room. A few glances, but that was about it. "Don't say it out loud…"

Becca raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you do have-"

"Yes…!" Maggie snapped back, voice low and through gritted teeth. "Yes, I do. Happy now?"

Becca paused, then smiled. "Yes. Yes, I am."

Maggie squinted at her, then sat back on her seat. "Sometimes I wonder why I even hang out with you."

"Because you need someone around to stop you from getting too emotional."

"I am not emotional."

"Sure you're not."

Maggie yanked open her locker door, grabbing the books she needed to study with that night, before slamming it shut and locking it. She turned on her heels and was about to take her first step home when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"E-excuse me…"

Maggie paused, then turned around. Standing behind her was one of her classmates, a shy and nerdy boy she couldn't remember the name of. He was holding out a letter, covered in heart stickers.

"T-this fell out of your locker." Clearly he was nervous, both because he was holding a letter covered in hearts out to her and that could easily be misinterpreted, and if the fact his gaze wandered a little south of her face, there was… probably another reason.

Maggie all but snatched it out of his hands, and studied it. Rather than the envelope having a name or anything written on it, it just had a bunch of stickers all over it.

"Thanks." She replied, half-assedly, as she continued her walk. As she reached the main gate, she noticed that Becca had up and vanished on her too.

Probably just as well, she didn't need her snarky commentary right now.

Once she got home and onto her bed, she decided to read it while cooling down. The letter was almost as strange as the envelope it came in. Rather than hand-written, it was typed, and formally as well. As well as a very gentlemanly request for a date on Sunday, it had a map, with an address listed below it, and a time and date.

No signature or name.

Maggie frowned. Formal language didn't seem much like Luan's style, nor the overly-pedantic and secretive approach. Maybe it was that kid the whole time, and he was just pretending that it fell out of her locker? She didn't feel it hit her foot or anything.

She still had a day to think the offer over, though.